The sixth Project 636.3 diesel-electric submarine Kolpino
designed for the Russian Black Sea Fleet has been put afloat
at the Admiralty Wharves Shipyard in St. Petersburg in northwest
Russia, a TASS correspondent reports from the scene.

A People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy) taskforce
belonging to the South Sea Fleet conducted a round-the-clock
anti-submarine warfare exercise in waters of the South China
Sea from May 25 to 26. The taskforce entered the South China
Sea via the Bashi Channel after conducting maritime drills
in the West Pacific.

Royal
Australian Navy LHD HMAS Canberra in Deck and Handling Trials
with Chinook Helicopters

Amphibious ship, HMAS Canberra has conducted deck and handling
trials with two Chinook helicopters alongside in Sydney recently.
The aircraft, from the 5th Aviation Regiment, based in Townsville
will go on to conduct first of class flight trials with Canberra's
sister ship, HMAS Adelaide.

Magellan
Aerospace to Collaborate with Atlas Elektronik for SeaSpider Anti-Torpedo
System

Atlas Elektronik and Magellan Aerospace signed a Memorandum
of Understanding on Thursday, May 26, 2016, sealing intent
to collaborate on the development of the rocket motor and
warhead sections of the SeaSpider Anti-Torpedo-Torpedo.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) welcomed a new addition
to its fleet as Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) Independence
finished its sea trials and cruised to its new home at Tuas
Naval Base on 26 May. LMV Independence is one of the eight
LMVs that will replace the current Fearless-class Patrol Vessels
(PVs). The new ships will be more efficient than their predecessors
in areas such as speed and versatility.

Russia’s Northern Fleet has started an exercise in the
Barents Sea, the fleet’s press office said on Friday.
The maneuvers involve ten warships and support vessels, including
the Project 11442 heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr
Veliky, and planes and helicopters of the Northern Fleet’s
Air and Air Defense Army, the press office added.

South
Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)
announced last week that Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) was
selected as contractor for “KDX-III Batch-II Design
and construction of the first hull”. The existing 7,600-ton
KDX-III Batch I Aegis destroyers of the Republic of Korea
Navy (ROK Navy) are based on the DDG 51 class of the US Navy.

The Israeli Navy has taken the Iron Dome air defence system
to the sea and recently completed a live test fire. The naval
version of the system will be used to protect strategic assets
at sea, such as oil/natural gas rigs. Israel’s hydrocarbons
fields and drilling installations in the East Mediterranean
Sea have increased the requirements for security.

Raytheon
Company and the Missile Defense Agency completed a successful
flight test of an improved Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block
IB third stage rocket motor. The mission confirmed effective
in-flight performance of the upgrade, which previously succeeded
in all ground testing. The upgrade will be integrated into
the current missile production line.

Russian shipyard in Volga area floats out fourth Gepard-3.9-class frigate
for Vietnam

The
fourth Project 11661 Gepard-3.9-class frigate designed for
the Vietnamese Navy has been put afloat at the Zelenodolsk
Shipyard in Tatarstan in the Volga area, shipyard spokesman
Andrei Spiridonov told TASS on Thursday.

Lockheed
Martin has received a $321.8 million sole-source contract
from the U.S. Navy for the continuation of the Long Range
Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) integration and test phase. The
integration and test contract funds continuation of LRASM
flight testing and integration onto the U.S. Air Force B-1B
and the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F aircraft. LRASM early operational
capability for the U.S. Air Force and Navy is expected in
2018 and 2019 respectively.

Thales to Supply Electronic Systems for Three Canadian Coast Guard OFSV
Vessels

On
March 24th, Thales in Canada signed a $35M (CAD) contract
with Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards (VSY), regarding
the electronic systems for the construction of the Canadian
Coast Guard’s (CCG) three Offshore Fisheries Science
Vessels (OFSV) under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS).
Seaspan recently announced the start of production on the
second OFSV. In the meantime, significant progress continues
on the first OFSV with 37 of 37 blocks currently under construction.

Russia’s
defense industry is pondering two approaches to resuming the
production of antisubmarine warfare (ASW) amphibian helicopters,
one being the development of an all-new machine and the other
the resumption of the Mil Mi-14’s (NATO reporting name:
Haze) production, expert Svyatoslav Ivanov writes in an article
on the Gazeta.ru news website.

Austal Delivered First High Speed Support Vessel RNOV Al Mubshir
to Royal Navy of Oman

Austal
Limited (Austal) is pleased to announce the RNOV Al Mubshir
has been delivered to the Royal Navy of Oman. The
on-time and on-budget delivery of the vessel cements Austal’s
reputation as a globally competitive defence prime contractor.

Large Number of Classes in Russian Navy Surface Fleet May Cause Logistic
Problems

Numerous
classes of littoral warships entering service with and being
built for the Russian Navy may cause the service logistic
and combat stability problems in the future, a defense industry
source told TASS on Tuesday.

South
Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)
announced today that Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
(DSME) was selected as contractor for “KSS-III Batch-II
Design and construction of the first hull”.

For
almost four centuries, DCNS has been a world leader in naval
defence, designing and building submarines and surface ships,
developing associated systems and infrastructure, and offering
a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The
Group is committed to developing long-term partnership with
Canada and will participate in CANSEC exhibition in Ottawa
on May 25 and 26. It is a chance for DCNS to showcase its
expertise in this key export market and to meet key players.

Lockheed
Martin will provide the U.S. Navy the latest advancements
in sonar systems under a contract valued at up to $425 million
for guidance and control systems for the MK 48 Mod 7 torpedo,
part of a five-year effort to increase the inventory of the
MK 48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedoes for the submarine fleet.

ECA Group has performed the preventive maintenance service
of two ECA Group autonomous underwater vehicles AUV A9-E used
by the Japan Coast Guards (JCG) for hydrographic survey and
physico-chemical sampling.

Russia has started the multi-year program to upgrade Project
949A (Antey-class, NATO reporting name: Oscar II) nuclear-powered
submarines armed with cruise missiles (SSGN), according to
a source in Russian defense industry.

Huntington Ingalls Industries was awarded a $152 million contract
today for advance planning for the construction of the aircraft
carrier Enterprise (CVN 80). The third aircraft carrier in
the Gerald R. Ford class was named in honor of the U.S. Navy’s
first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN
65).

The
keel laying ceremony of the first KSS-III (Jangbogo III programme)
heavy diesel-electric submarine took place May 17 2016 at
DSME Geoje shipyard in presence of the Republic of Korea Navy
(ROK Navy) officers, Defense Acquisition Program Administration
(DAPA) representatives and DSME officials. The first steel
cutting ceremony for the vessel was held in November 2014.

On May 17, ITS Luigi Rizzo cast off at 7.20 a.m. from Fincantieri
shipyard in Muggiano (La Spezia) for her first sea outing.
This activity marks the beginning of the programme of sea
trials which will continue until the completion of the ship's
outfitting phase. The FREMM frigate is scheduled to be delivered
to the Italian Navy in early 2017.

Shipyard in North Russia to lay down sixth Yasen-class Submarine Perm
on July 29

The Project 885M Yasen-M-class nuclear-powered submarine Perm
armed with missiles and torpedoes will be laid down in Severodvinsk
in north Russia on July 29, the press office of Russia’s
United Ship-Building Corporation said on Tuesday.